Stocking

[Mommaof4boys]

Ok guys, help me out... My 44 gal corner pentagon has been ready and empty for far too long! I'm ready to start stocking! I'm having a hard time figuring out what I want to do since I currently have a black skirt and brilliant (red tail) rasbora in a 10 gallon tank and need to figure out if I want to set up the 20 gal high and put them in there and leave the 44 for different options or what? I like schooling fish and I like colorful fish.. I wanted some cories but that tank has gravel and they would be happier with sand... What do you guys think? I also like: Angelicus loach, scissortail rasboras, all kinds of tetras, some gouramis, some cichlids, chili rasboras, livebearers, and a couple barbs.. Just encase you wanted to know...

 

[siva]

Skirt tetras don't really work in a 20H so I'd definitely plan on moving those over. They get pretty big and a school of them would stuff a 20H and not give them enough swimming space. Cories are generally OK on gravel as long as the rocks are smooth. I'm not sure the tank is large enough for angelicus loaches, so I'd probably go with cories instead. Rasboras or cherry barbs would be nice since they swim higher in the tank, and the skirts will swim lower. Chili rasboras would probably be better off in that 10 gal rather than mixed with the larger fish. You could do a couple angels or pearl gouramis for centerpiece fish. I'd skip dwarf cichlids with the tetras. Skirts are very aggressive feeders that swim in the same tank region as the cichlids and could outcompete them for food and annoy them. If you opted to ditch the skirts some dwarfs would work nicely, such as bolivian ram, apistogramma, kribensis, nannacara, laetacara, or even a keyhole cichlid which isn't a dwarf but stays relatively small.

 

[MissSmish]

Check out freshwater rainbowfish? I adore them, I'm hoping to switch to threadfin rainbows in a few months. Still researching them though.

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the suggestions and advice!

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Okay guys! It has been 3 days since I made the purchase of 6 little neon tetra's for my 44. They have all survived but seem to be "fighting" with each other... I'm not sure if they are just playing or if they are really ganging up on one another... anyways, I'm wanting to add some more of them, they look very pretty swimming together and I'd like a large group of them in there! I had also thought about getting a German Blue Ram pair for my center fish, but I think that they are more sensitive and since I am a newbie, I'd probably better stick to angelfish or something first... So, I was thinking a large group of neons, a pair of angels, and hmm... maybe some tetras? Rasboras? Shrimp? The guy at petsmart said I should get a group of otocinclus? What is your opinion on this? I wanted to get a group of Julii cories, but I think the rock would bug them, i'm not sure if its soft enough gravel for them! So, I might just wait and put them in the 10 or 20 gal! What do you guys think?

 

[siva]

Neons are pretty mellow. I'm sure what you're seeing is nothing to worry about. It may even be spawning behavior.

I wouldn't consider a pair of angels the best pick for a newbie either. A breeding pair can potentially terrorize a community tank. Mine aren't so bad, but they do beat eachother up pretty bad during courtship. Just know what you're getting into. Also realize full grown angels usually eat neons.

GBR's are very sensitive, you're right. I've purchased close to ten from different sources and none have survived long term. Bolivian rams are hardier, so you might want to look into them. If you do decide on GBR's, find a local breeder. If they are bred in your local water, odds are they will die off quick.

Julii's are too large for a 10, and are borderline for a 20H. I keep a group on gravel and they do fine. What type of rock is it..like colored aquarium gravel or more natural stones?

Angels and rams will typically eat shrimp. IME most inverts won't work with most cichlids. If you did want to try shrimp, go with something larger like ghost shrimp or amanos.

Oto's are great algae eaters, but you want to add them to a well established tank. You could add a group of 3 or more once the tank has been running for six months or so.

Rasboras would work well, if you like them. Personally I really like the espei/pork chop rasbora.

There are tons of great options for a tank this size. Some you may want to consider are hatchetfish, cochu's blue tetra, purple passion danios, glass cats, threadfin rainbows, swordtails, farowella cat, panda garra, pitbull plecos, bristlenose pleco, clown pleco...just to name a few.

 

[LyndaB]

You need to get that black skirt tetra out of the 10 gallon and into your largest tank. He needs friends, too, so plan on buying at least 5 more. When that's done, replan your stocking around them.

Otos require a well established tank with rock steady water parameters. Any fluctuations could kill them.

 

[siva]

Right, or rehome the one if you don't want to keep them in this tank since your others just aren't large enough. Possibly trade it at the LFS for a more desirable tetra like another neon.

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Here are some pictures of the tank and the gravel! I didn't really want to move my black skirt to the 44 cause he's a meanie and picks on his other tank mate... maybe its because he is a full grown black skirt and has been alone for about 3 years? I'm thinking of trying to just give them both to a lfs and get all new fish... I feel sorry for the rasbora cause I can't find him any friends and the tetra picks on him! Do you think the julii cories would be ok in the 44?

 

[vanimal]

I suggest glow fish. They go good with the tertas

 

[siva]

Meh, Glo Fish have a very artificial look. Personally they wouldn't be my choice.

Skirt tetras will be meanies if left alone like that. They are schoolers and need to be with a group of their kind which should lower aggression. Even then, they are known to be a nippier tetra.

If you go with another type of rasbora, put the loner you have with that school. It's better than nothing.

The julii's will be fine in there

 

[LyndaB]

I didn't really want to move my black skirt to the 44 cause he's a meanie and picks on his other tank mate...

He's mean because he's not being kept in a proper school. Without their school, some species will lash out in aggression. It means they're not being kept properly. If you have no desire to get more, than definitely rehome him.

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Meh, Glo Fish have a very artificial look. Personally they wouldn't be my choice.

Skirt tetras will be meanies if left alone like that. They are schoolers and need to be with a group of their kind which should lower aggression. Even then, they are known to be a nippier tetra.

If you go with another type of rasbora, put the loner you have with that school. It's better than nothing.

The julii's will be fine in there

Glofish wouldn't be a top pick for me either, I feel a lot like you.. Their color is very artificial, not something I personally enjoy.

I'm going to call a lfs today to see if they would be willing to take my lonely fish, if not, I'll just put them in the bigger tank. I kinda feel bad for them though cause I'm not crazy about my lfs! I worry that they would let them die if someone doesn't buy them! I don't want them to die, I just wanted something different in the corner tank!

I'm definitely going to get some cories, I really like them! And probably 14 more neons.. So 20 neons and what, 3, 4 cories? What else? Do you think that's to much neons?

 

[Mommaof4boys]

He's mean because he's not being kept in a proper school. Without their school, some species will lash out in aggression. It means they're not being kept properly. If you have no desire to get more, than definitely rehome him.

I don't mind the skirts, he's a very pretty fish... I just was hoping to get something else for he big corner tank! I was hoping he could go in the 20 and I could get more, but apparently he doesn't do well in a 20h so, ill see if a lfs will take him, if not, ill move him over and get more and hope he doesn't kill any fish smaller than him... which would be every fish I put in there! Lol

 

[siva]

Black skirts are a fairly popular tetra so I wouldn't expect a shop to have a hard time getting rid of them.

If you don't put a school of black skirts in the 44, you should be able to do 20 neons, but add them slowly in small groups. For cories 6 is a good number, 4 is the minimum, but you have the room so I'd go for 6. Also, just a little factoid for you, the cories we see in shops sold as "julii" are actually three lined cories, commonly referred to as "false julii's". True julii's look a bit different and rarely pop up here in the states.

 

[siva]

Fish that I would choose to avoid if stocking the skirts are those with flowing fins (betta, angels, etc) and the more shy and mellow mid-bottom dwelling fish, such as most dwarf cichlids. I wouldn't expect the skirts to kill anything, but just be aware they are aggressive feeders, so mixing them with more passive fish may not be the best idea.

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Black skirts are a fairly popular tetra so I wouldn't expect a shop to have a hard time getting rid of them.

If you don't put a school of black skirts in the 44, you should be able to do 20 neons, but add them slowly in small groups. For cories 6 is a good number, 4 is the minimum, but you have the room so I'd go for 6. Also, just a little factoid for you, the cories we see in shops sold as "julii" are actually three lined cories, commonly referred to as "false julii's". True julii's look a bit different and rarely pop up here in the states.

Good to know! Thank you! I think I'll add 6 more neons this weekend... And them maybe add some cories a few days later! Can I add 6 cories at the same time?

 

[Scott F]

A pleco

 

[siva]

I think you can add 6 at the same time, but wait a little bit long in between adding the groups of fish, just to be sure your bio-filter has time to catch up and your tank doesn't mini-cycle.

 

[Mommaof4boys]

Is a week good?